“The last year has shown us all that we need to look after both our physical and mental wellbeing.”
Local business, the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI), had some serious concerns about the toll that the pandemic has taken on the physical and mental health of its employees.
Determined to make a positive change and to put staff health first, CITB NI signed up to Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke’s Work Well Live Well programme.
Work Well Live Well, a Public Health initiative, is a free health and wellbeing support service run by Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS). NICHS health professionals help to identify health risks in the workplace and work with you to create and deliver a bespoke action plan to help improve employee wellbeing.
Changes made through the plan can be as simple as greater access to healthy snacks or incentivised exercise, but the programme also concentrates on improving mental health and sleep, managing stress and reducing risk factors associated with heart disease.
Fidelma Carter, Director of Public Health at NICHS, explains; ‘There’s never been a more crucial time to check on your employee’s health – the pandemic will have affected people, both mentally and physically, in ways you may not have considered. The average worker will spend almost 85,000 hours at work over the course of their career. It is vital that those hours are safe, happy and healthy.’
CITB NI are delighted to be working with the NI Chest Heart & Stroke to implement the Public Health Agency’s Work Well Live Well programme for its staff.
Joyce Savage, Health Champion says; “The last year has shown us all, that more than ever, it is important to look after both our physical and mental wellbeing. When I got the chance to become involved as a Health Champion, it was an opportunity to focus on what I could do as part of a team to help others find the means and support to achieve their health goals. I am looking forward to working with staff to implement new health and wellbeing initiatives across the organisation.”
Ask yourself today - how well are your employees? Commit to improving the health and wellbeing of your staff today and register your workplace for Work Well Live Well.
Visit www.nichs.org.uk/workwelllivewell or email healthpromotion@nichs.org.uk
